Station selector and recording system for radio service



Oct. 20, 1953 L E. PHILIPPS 2,656,522

STATION SELECTOR AND RECORDING SYSTEM FOR RADIO SERVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June '5, 1949 FIG-I INVENTOR.

LOUIS E. PHILIPPS i I y I ATTORNEYS Oct. 20, 1953 L. E. PHILIPPS 2,656,522

STATION SELECTOR AND RECORDING SYSTEM FOR RADIO SERVICE Filed June 3, 1949 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 I85 3 g I84 l I i I08' I06 I04 I02 100' use I09' I07 I05 I03' |o|' I86 3 INVENTOR.

LOUIS E. PHILI PPS ATTORNEYS Oct. 20, 1953 L. E. PHILIPPS STATION SELECTOR AND RECORDING SYSTEM FOR RADIO SERVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June 3, 1949 ATTORNEYS 2 7 P M m W E N B 1 w 0 m2 on 32 Q mm. L351 O 2. 3 s6 n3 Q @Q on. J LK C e 9 mm. E P WW (If c 91 m: 3 @Q von Q S w: o w I S w 2: 1 0

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Oct. 20, 1953 E. PHILIPPS STATION SELECTOR AND RECORDING SYSTEM FOR RADIO SERVICE 6 SheetsSheet 4 Filed June 5, 1949 INVENTOR.

LOUIS E. PHILIPPS Oct. 20, 1953 L. E. PHILIPPS STATION SELECTOR AND RECORDING SYSTEM FOR RADIO SERVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 3, 1949 INVEN TOR.

MOTOA LOUIS E. PHILI PPS Oct. 20, 1953 L. E. PHILIPPS STATION SELECTOR AND RECORDING SYSTEM FOR RADIO SERVICE 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed June 3, 1949 INVENTOR.

LOUIS E. PHILIPPS FIG.- 8

ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 20, 1953 STATION SELECTOR AND RECORDING SYSTEM FOR RADIO SERVICE Louis E. Philipps, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, assignor to Radio Systems, Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application June 3, 1949, Serial No. 97,058

2 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in a station selecting and recording system for radio serv1ce.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide novel means for selecting any desired one of a large number of stations where electrical equipment such as a radio loudspeaker is to be connected and novel means for completing an electrical circuit through the selected station only, together with means for insuring that no other station, not selected, will be energized.

Another object of the present invention is to provide electrical circuits for selecting and energizing a given station out of a large number using a minimum amount of electrical equipment so that the equipment is used in the most eflicient manner and so that the system will operate most efiicientl and also so that trouble shooting may be accomplished most expeditiously.

A further object of the invention is the provision of novel means for recording the station selected simultaneously with the selection and energization of the selected station.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel means for making a printed record as to the station selected and as to the time that the station was energized or deenergized, all this being accomplished simultaneously with the selection and energization or deeper-- gization of a station so that the system is foolproof.

A still further object of the present invention is to utilize a modified style of well-known adding machine for selecting a given station and for recording the number of the station and the time when it was energized or deenergized.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will appear from the accompanying drawings and description and the essential features thereof will be set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view showing the electrical circuits in a portion of one form of my invention, sufiicient circuits being shown so that the entire system may be understood;

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of a modified adding machine used as my main control instrument;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the instrument of Fig. 2 with the cover removed and with certain parts deleted so that the remainder is more clearly shown.

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view through the instrument of Fig. 2 taken along the line 4-4 2 thereof and with certain parts omitted for clearness;

Fig. 5 is a fragmental top plan view enlarged taken along the line 55 of Fig. 3 and with parts :broken away to more clearly show the electrical contacts;

Fig. 6 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmental sectional view taken along the line l'l of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a view of a portion of Fig. 4 showing the parts in another position;

Fig. 9 illustrates a portion of a typical printed record from my machine; while Fig. 10 is a diagram showing a modification of the circuits shown at IS on the right hand side of Fig. 1.

It should be understood that my system is intended for use in a hotel or hospital wherein radio or television sets or other electrical equipment may be installed in each room and the service is turned on or air at the desire of the occupant of the room. On a commercial scale, it is desirable that the occupant of the room be charged only when he is using such service. By the use of my system, it is possible to do away with all coin operated mechanisms or other means for individually connecting and disconnecting service in the various rooms, but instead all of the operations are accomplished from a single station by a very simple system which might be operated for instance by the telephone operator at a central switchboard using her spare time only. Since the connecting of a radio loudspeaker in a room is a typical example of electrical equipment energized and deenergized by the use of my system, I will use this term in my description and in some of the claims as being synonymous with any piece of electrical equipment which it is desired to turn on or off at each individual station when selected. Since the individual stations where equipment is to be turned on and off will usually be found in large groups which may be broken down into subgroups, which may in turn be broken down into individual stations, I may hereafter in my specification and claims use the term floor as indicating a large group of stations and I may use the term hundreds 'as indicating the selective unit since quite commonly all of the floors of a hotel or the like are designated by a series all in the same hundreds of numbers. I shall also hereafter use as synonymous with the term subgroup, such terms as tens or twenties as indicating respectively a series of rooms having numbers from ten to nineteen inclusive or another group of rooms having numbers from twenty to twenty-nine inclusive, and so forth. As representative of the term station I may hereafter use the term room because normally there would be one radio set in room 10 and another radio set .in room 11, and so forth. In a hospital room where there were :two beds and a radio loudspeaker at each bed which might be provided with service at the will of the patient, the term station would not mean a room, but might mean bed A or bed B in a certainu oom.

I shall first describe the electrical circuits of Fig. 1 and will later describe the specific mechanism which I use to establish these circuits and to make a record of the service turned ion or off at a given station.

In Fig. l, I have illustrated the equipment in a few rooms of the one-hundred series and aifew rooms of the two-hundred series as it will be obvious that this equipment might be multiplied for other series of rooms on different floors and might be expanded to cover as many numbers in the lhundredser'iesas might'be desired. I have also shown only .a few individual rooms such as 01, 02, and so forth. Also in the ten series, I have shown "f, 11 and 12. :In any complete series of number, there would be individual .relays from 0.0 to 99.

In the diagram of Fig. 1, the modified .adding machine or main control instrument it of Fig. 2 is shown diagrammatically by a dot-dash box .in .the lower left-hand corner of the diagram. The details of this instrument will be described later. For simplicity, only three rows of adding machine numbers for selecting the hotel room number together with the radio 'on and radio .off buttons are shown in the diagram. A'cabinet 1.6 is shown forhousing the equipment in each individual room. These cabinets are shown as smallsquares for rooms 200,2.0'1 202,'210 and 211. They are also shown in .a similar manner for rooms 100, 101, 102, 110,111 and 112. The cabinet Ifi for room 212 is shown enlarged at the central portion at the right-hand side of the diagram of Fig. .-l and itshould be understood that .all of the cabinets 1'6 contain identical equipment. 'Ineach room where .the system'is installed therein, there is aloudspeaker l I, a volume control [2, a station selector switch 13, a'radio"on relay l4 and radioofi relay 1'5. Room'212 will be used as an example to describe the circuit for turning the radio .on or off in that room, it being understood that all other room-circuits will be similar.

When the occupant of room 212 desires to have the radio turned on, a message is sent to the operator sitting near the main control instrument as shown'in Fig. 2. If this is the telephoneoperator, then it is only necessary for the occupant of room 212 to pick up the telephone and tell the operator that radio service is desired in room 212. The operator will then depress the keys on the main control instrument corresponding to room 212. In "the instrument illustrated in Fig. 2, the proper buttons are indicated in heavier circles. The operator will also depress the radio onkey of the main control instrument which is indicated by the letters RN of Fig. '2. The operator then depresses the motor control key marked motorfat the right-hand side of Fig. which will initiate one'cycle of themodifie'd adding machine to complete the following circuits:

Starting from line L1 '01" .the energizing circuit. the circuit'will then include switch 1'] in its dotdash position, line I 8,.sliding contact 1 9 'andcontact 20 (to be later described) in the hundreds row of the modified adding machine, line 2| line 22, relay 23 (which is the radio on relay for all rooms in the two-hundred series), line 24, line 25, contact 26 and sliding contact 27 (associated with the row I00 of the modified adding machine), .line 28, line 29, switch .30 inits dot-dash position, to la, the other .side of the ienergizing circuit. Relay 23 is now energized, swinging the armature 23a to the right or to the dot-dash position as indicated in the diagram of Fig. 1. It-shouldbe note'd that relay 23 is now in position "to'energize any room in the two-hundred series. It will Joe-noted .that relay 3-! would have been similarly energized for all of the rooms of the wane-hundred .series if the button No. 1 in the hundreds series on the modified adding machine had 'bee'ndepressed. In such a case, the circuit would have been through the line 21' from the 100 button to relay 3'! and then through line 24' .and line as previously described for relay '23. It will be understood that similar relays to '31 and '23 will be provided for each of the other series of numbers represented by the buttons 3.00, "400 and so forth.

When the operator set the buttons for room 212, the following circuit was established for all rooms ending in the number '12:

From line L1, switch i'linits dot-dashposition, 'line l'8, line 35, sliding contact 38 and contact 3-! in the digit row of the modified adding machine (in this case"2') line '38, relay 39 (which "is for 'all rooms ending "in 12), rectifier '41! (for permitting electrical flow in one direction only), line'4l, contact 42 and sliding contact 43 in the tens row of the modified adding machine "(in this case 10), line 29, switch to L2. Relay 39 is now energized moving the armature 39a to the right or to the dot-dash position as shown in Fi 1.

When switches Hand 30 were closed on the main control instrument of Fig. '2, relay .32 is energized from L1 to switch I! in its dot-dash position, line 33, relay 32, line 34, switch 30in its dot-dashposition, toLa-moving the armatures 32a and 32b to the left or to the dot-dash position as shown in Fig. 1.

With relays 23, 32 and 39 now energized-a. circuit iscompleted to the equipment in cabinet 16 in room 212 to turn the radio on as follows:

From L1, armature 32a of relay 32 in its dotdash position, line 44, line 45, armature 39a in its dot-dash position, '-line '46, rectifier 41, armature Ma-in ts full line position, line 48, relay 14, line 49, armature 23a in its dot-dash position, line 5D, armature 32b in its dot-dash position to In.

Relay I4 is "now energized and moves its armatures 14a and [4b to the left or to their dotdash position as shown in Fig. 1. Means is provided for maintaining armatures 14a and 14b in their dot-dash position of Fig. 1, that is, in their energized position. In the present instance, the relay I5 is arranged to lock the armatures 14a and 14b in their closed position. As the armature 14b moves 'to the left as viewed in Fig. 1, the armature 15a of relay 15 drops down until it is stopped by a projection [40 on the armature 14b. The armature [5a will now hold the armatures Ma and Nb, which are rigidly inter-connected, to the left in the dot-dash position shown in Fig. 1. The loudspeaker circuit is now energized. It will be noted that the broadcasting station selector switch 1'3 is movable to one of several positions, in each of which it connects a selected radio receiver 90, =9! or 92 to the loudspeaker H. In the positions shown in Fig. '1,

the selector switch I3 connects the leads 90a and 90b from the receiving set 90 which is kept tuned to a certain station indicated on the selector switch. The program of that station will now be communicated to the loudspeaker I I through the circuit, switch I3, contact I4d, armature I4b in its dot-dash position, the coil of speaker II, the volume control I2, back to the switch contact I 3a. It will be noted that if switch I3 were in engagement with contact I312, the circuit would be completed through lines 9m and SH) to receiver 9| which would be tuned to another station. In like manner, the movement of the selector switch to the contacts I30 would connect receiver 92 with the loudspeaker H. Any number of receivers can be connected to the selector switch I3 in this manner.

In all of the rooms of the same hundreds series as the relay 23, in this case the twohundred series, all relays I4 in rooms other than 212 are now shorted out as follows:

Taking room 211 as an example, the circuit will be from relay I4 of cabinet IS in room 211 through line 49 which is analogous to line 49 of room 212, then through the common line 49. armature 23a in its dot-dash position, line 55, line 60, armature 39a of the relay 39 which controls all rooms ending in the number 11, line 46, the rectifier 41 in room 211, the armature He in room 211 in its unoperated or full line position, and the line equivalent to line 48 back to relay I4.

The relays I4 in all other rooms ending in the number 12, except 212, will be shorted out also.

Taking room 112 as an example, the circuit will be as follows:

From relay I4 in cabinet I5 of room 112, through line 49", armature 3Ia in its full line position, line 6|, line 45, armature 39a in its dot-dash position and line 46-45, back to cabidash position of Fig. 1, there might be a reverse current flow to relay I5 to turn off the radio in room 212. This reverse flow might be as follows:

From L1, armature 32a in its dot-dash position, line 44, line 62, armature 52a in its full line position, line 51, relay I5, line 56, armature M11 in its dot-dash position, rectifier 41, line 46, armature 39a in its full line position, line 60, line 50, armature 32b in its dot-dash position to L2. The flow of current, thus reversed, is not possible because it is blocked by the rectifier 41 which permits fiow in the other direction only and therefore prevents energization of relay I5. A similar circuit will be established to all other relays I5, when the armatures are to the left, in the two-hundred series.

If the occupant in room 212 now wishes the radio service turned off, the operator located at the main control instrument of Fig. 2 is notified. This operator depresses the RF button H191) and the keys corresponding to the number 2 in the hundreds row, 1 in the tens row and 2 in the digits row, that is, the same buttons mentioned before and shown in darker circles in Fig. 2. She then depresses the motor key of the main control instrument which will initiate a cycle of the modified adding machine to complete the following circuits:

From Li, switch I 1 in its dot-dash position, line I8, sliding contact I9 and contact 28 of the hundreds row of the modified adding machine, line 2|, line 5|, relay 52, which is the off relay for all rooms in the two-hundred series, line 53, contact 54 on the modified adding machine which corresponds to the button marked RF in Fig. 2 indicating radio oif, sliding contact 21 coacting with contact 54, line 28, line 29, switch 34) in its dot-dash position to L2. Relay 52 is now energized moving its armature 52a to the right or to the dot-dash position as indicated in Fig. 1. Relay 52 is now energized for all of the rooms of the two-hundred series as mentioned above. If a room in the one-hundred series had been selected, relay 55 would have been energized through lines 2| and line 53.

Relays 32 and. 39 are energized as previously described when turning the radio on. A circuit is now completed from L1, armature 32a in dotdash position, line 44, line 45, armature 39a in its dot-dash position, line rectifier 41, armature I4a in its dot-dash position, line 55, relay I5, line 51, armature 52a in its dot-dash position, line 58, line 50, armature 32b in its dot-dash position to L2. Relay I5 is now energized attracting its armature I5a upwardly as shown in Fig. 1 which permits armatures Ma and M?) of relay I4 to move to the right since they are biased to normally move to the open position. This turns off the loudspeaker H by breaking the circuit to the same at I 4d.

To prevent the undesired operation of a relay I5 in another room in the two-hundred series, so as to turn off the radio in that room unintentionally, all other relays in the two-hundred series are shorted out. As an example, in room 211, this short circuit will be as follows:

From relay I5 in room 211 through line 51' and line 51, armature 52a in its dot-dash position, line 58, line 50, armature a in its full line position, line 46 back to cabinet IS in room 211 and to the parts in that cabinet corresponding to rectifier 41, armature I: in its dot-dash position, and line 56 back to relay I5.

The relay I5 in all rooms whose numbers end in 12 will also be shorted out so as to prevent undesired operation as follows:

Taking room 112 as an example, from relay I5 of that room, line 51", line 12, armature 55a of relay 55 in its full line position, line 62, line 44, line 45, armature 39a in its dot-dash position, line 46-46" back to cabinet Iii in room 112 and through the parts in that room equivalent to rectifier 41, armature I la in its dot-dash position and line 56 back to relay I5.

The flow of current to all of the remaining relays I4 or I5 in the system will have to be in a reversed direction and the rectifier 41 in each circuit will block the flow of current to such relays to prevent them from being energized. A typical circuit to represent this arrangement is as follows:

If relay I4 in room 101 is to be energized, relays SI, 32 and 13 will be energized. The circuit for a possible reverse current flow to relay l4 in room 212 with armatures Ida and Nb in the full line position, is as follows:

From L1, armature 32a in its dot-dash position, line 44, line 6|, armature 23a in its full line position, line 49, relay i4, line 48, armature I412 in its full line position, rectifier 41, line 45, armature 39a in its full line position, line line 50, armature 32b in its dot-dash position to L2. The current flow in this reversed circuit is impossible because it is blocked by the rectifier 41, thus preventing energization of relay I4.

A simple piece of equipment for use for the rectifiers 41 and for the rectifiers 40 where indicated and all through the system, is a dry disc rectifier which is very cheap :and effective. This willapermit flow only .in the direction of the arrows shown "in the diagram of Fig. 1.

Similar circuits to those above described will be completed whenever the .radio on key or the radio off key on the main control instrument is depressed in conjunction with buttons indicating :a room number, for preventing any relay but the desired one from being energized.

The wires 10 leading from the various cabinets I6 correspond to the line 46 leading to cabinet I 8 of room 212. The wires II correspond likewise to line 49 of room 212 and wires I2 correspond to line 5! of room 212. 'The six lines indicated extending from the bottom portion of each of the cabinets I6 correspond to the lines 90a, 90b, 91a, 9Ib, 92a, 92b of room 212 and lead .to the same radio receivers 90, 9| and 92 which are'thus enabled to service all rooms in the system,

Various types of apparatus might be constructed for providing the-control of the various electrical circuits above described and taking the place of the main control instrument as illustrated in Fig. 2. Also various means might be contrived to make a record, printed or otherwise, of the establishing of an on connection or the breaking of an off connection and various means for recording the time when the radio was turned on or off. I have chosen to utilize for my main control instrument a modified type of adding machine marketed as Model W of the Victor Adding Machine Company, of Chicago, Illinois, in 1949. I do not desire to limt my claims solely to this type of control instrument but utilize the same to show one embodiment of my invention.

In order to understand the operation of my equipment, I will describe certain known features of a standard adding machine and will add of the machine clearly indicate the changes which have been made.

It should be understood that in general the machine here disclosed as my main control instrument in Fig. 2 and the 'otherviews thereof is a standard Victor adding machine of the type described and the parts and their functions "are clearly disclosed in one or more of the following Victor patents: No. 1,336,840 granted April 13, 1920 to Oliver D. Johantgen; No. 1,876,057 granted September 6, 1932 to Oliver D. Johantgen; No. 1,876,056 granted September 6, 1932 to Oliver D. Johantgen; No. 2,017,641 granted October 15, 1935 to George J. Uhlig; No. 2,019,439 granted October 29, 1935 to George J. Uhlig; and No. 2,264,949 granted December 2, 1941 to Thomas O. Mehan, and other patents for improvements on the features disclosed in the above mentioned patents.

Those familiar with adding machines of the modern type will understand that there is usually a plurality of rows of numbered buttons as indicated in Fig. 2 from IOI to I01 inclusive. The buttons in each row, running from front to back, are generally numbered from 1 to 9 inclusive, and I have shown such a numbering in rows ,IOI, I03, I04, I05, I06 and I01. I have changed the indicia .on the buttons in row 02 to read from A to H of the alphabet and 3!, so that suites of rooms in a hotel may be1so indicated. Obviously, the indicia on these buttons or other buttons in the machine might be made 'to fit any given room numbering or bed numbering system. In the illustration already .given, I have indicated how the room 212 might be indicated by punching the 2 button in row 405 indicating hundreds, the I button in row I04 indicating tens, and the 2 button in 'row I03 indiciating digits. The rows I06 and I01 will permit the recording and connecting of rooms where the numbers run into a larger number of figures. I have added row I00, having button I 00a to indicate radio on and marked RN, button I00b for radio off and marked RF, button I000 marked TN for television on and button I00d marked TF for television off. The button I00a controls the contact arrangement indicated at 26, 2-1 in the previous description and button I00b controls the contact arrangement indicated at 54, 21 in the previous description. I'have also added rows I01, I08 and "I0! so that the operator may indicate the date when the radio is turned on or off. In row I09, I have marked the buttons serially from January to September, and in row I08, 'I have marked three buttons for October, November and December. My invention will be better understood if it is realized that all of these month buttons control a bar which moves beneath the row I09. In other words, the control connections from the buttons marked Oct., Nov., and Dec. are angled downwardly and toward the left as viewed in Fig. 2 so as to control a bar which reciprocates beneath the row I09. The rows I08 and I-0I are for the purpose of setting the date, Obviously, any date from 1 to 31 may be set by utilizing these two rows of numbered buttons. The machine also includes the usual error button I I0 for clearing the setting if a wrong button has been pushed. The machine also includes the elongated finger bar III marked motor which has been previously referred to. This is pushed to cause'the motor to produce a 360 degree revolution'of the adding machine equipment in the usual manner. Obviously, a manual crank could be used here in the known manner without invention. The opening at II2 indicated in the cover of the adding machine H3 is only for the purpose 'of viewing the accumulator wheels in the normaluse of an adding machine and has no function in theipresent invention.

Beneath each of the rows of buttons from I00 to I00 inclusive, there is mounted for reciprocation lengthwise of the row, a rack bar II4. At its forward end, each rack bar has the teeth .I Ila which, in the normal use of an adding machine, coact with indicator or accumulator wheels to give the adding operations. They have no function in my modified machine. On the top of each rack bar there is formed a series of progressive steps as shown in Fig. 4, numbered from I I4.I .to H48 inclusive. Button No. I has the lower end of its stem in position when the button .is depressed to engage the shoulder I I4I as the rack bar I I4 moves forwardly and this limits the rack bar to a small amount of movement. In similar manner, button No. 2 would'be in position to engage shoulder H42, button No. .3 would engage shoulder H43, etc. Each of the buttons permits the associated rack bar to move forwardly a greater amount until button No. 8 .as shown .in dot-dash position in Fig. 4 would engageagainst 9 the shoulder H48 and permit that amount of movement of the rack bar forwardly, if button No. 8 were depressed. If button No. 9 is depressed, it does not engage any similar shoulder but instead, the shoulder H49 on the lower side of the rack bar engages a fixed member of the frame H so as to limit the forward motion of the rack bar to its maximum amount. Means is provided as thoroughly described in the above mentioned Johantgen Patent No. 1,338,840 for locking each rack bar against forward movement except when a key in that row is depressed. As is well known, there is no zero button in any row, but if zero indication is desired in that row, no button is depressed. In that case, a leg I I6 (Fig. 4) depending from the rack bar and key lock plates stands in front of the shoulder H48 and prevents any movement of the rack bar forwardly. Also as shown in the above mentioned patent, the depression of any button in a given row will move the leg I I6 out of the path of the shoulder H48 so as to permit movement of the rack bar forwardly when initiated. These same control plates also have means for holding the keys in their depressed positions, and provides also that the depression of any key serves to release any previously depressed key in the same row. As shown in the above mentioned Victor patents, through the slots I 141) in all of the rack bars H4 there extends a rod II'I entirely across the machine. This rod is carried in swinging arms on opposite sides of the machine. The two ends of rod I I I are engaged with the notched lower ends of two depending oscillating plates I I8, one at each side of the machine. Each of the plates I I8 is swung, during a part of the oscillation of the main shaft of the adding machine in each direction, by a cam roller I90, carried by the adjacent crank arm I9I, which enters a flaring cam slot H8 in the corresponding swinging plate. A spring H9 urges each rack bar II4 forwardly. When the machine goes through one cycle of operations, the rod H1 moves forward in each of the slots H41), whereupon each rack bar H4 is moved forwardly by its associated spring H9 by the amount permitted by the various stop shoulders and abutments previously described.

It is of importance that the power required to operate the machine be substantially uniform, whatever the number of keys in use. To this end, a variable friction drag is provided by mounting a pair of washers I (Fig. 4) upon the rod III to bear against opposite sides of each rack bar under the pressure of suitable springs. As the active bars travel with the rod H1 they move without friction. It follows, therefore, that the load and the friction drag vary inversely with variations in the number of rack bars in action.

The movement of the various rack bars I I 4 forwardly, in response to the setting of the various indicia on the buttons indicated on Fig. 2, is utilized to set up the various electrical circuits described in connection with Fig. 1. I therefore modify the adding machine as best shown in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 to accomplish this purpose. Since each of the rows from IIII to I06 inclusive includes a row of nine buttons, I will describe Fig. 6 in connection with any such row. To this end, there is secured to each rack bar a small strip of insulation material I2! to which is secured an electrical contact I 22 by any suitable means such as rivets I23. This contact has a downwardly projecting nose I22a which engages any one of a series of coacting contacts as will presently appear. The contact I22 is connected by a loop of electrical wire I24 with a bracket I25 which is fixed on a block I26 of insulation material mounted on the base of the modified adding machine, Another electrical wire I27 leads away from the bracket I25 and is connected to one side of the line L2 as indicated in Fig. l. The contact I22 or I22a therefore corresponds in position to the contact 21, 36, 43, or I9 of Fig. 1, which I have referred to as the movable or sliding contact.

Coacting with each of the movable contacts I22 or I22a is a series of stationary contacts adapted to be contacted according to the amount of movement of the associated rack bar H4. Referring to Figs. 5, 6 and 7, under each rack bar in the insulation block I26 is inserted a smaller block of insulation I28 having a series of pockets defined by small outstanding fianges I28a. In each of these pockets, there is secured to the block I28 a contact I29 as by means of a rivet I30. Each contact has a pair of upstanding spring fingers 129a adapted to engage on opposite sides of the contact projection I22a as it passes along between them. Electrically secured to each contact I29 is an electric conductor I3I which leads away eventually to the other side of the line L1. These lines correspond to 38, 2I and 2I of Fig. 1. In Fig. 6, the numbers from 0 to 9 inclusive have been placed over the series of contacts I29, not as actual numbers of these contacts for reference purposes, but merely to indicate that where a series of indicia on the main control instrument of Fig. 2 run from 1 to 9, as on row I03, the rack bar I I4 will not move if no button is pushed and the contact I22a will remain in connection with the contact over which the numeral 0 appears in Fig. 6. On the other hand, if buttons 1 to 9 inclusive are selected, the rack bar will move in various amounts toward the right as viewed in Fig. 6 causing the contact I22a to engage any one of the contacts from 1 to 9 inclusive of Fig. 6, depending on whether the identical button were pushed in row I03. Thus, whatever buttons are set on the machine of Fig. 2, similarly numbered contacts of the nature of contact I29 will be engaged and these are diagrammatically shown at the lower left hand corner of the diagram of Fig. 1.

In connection with row I00 of Fig. 2, there would be only four of these contacts I29 plus the 0 contact. If button I00a were depressed, then the associated rack bar I I4 would travel out one unit so as to cause the contact 21, similar to I 220., to engage a contact I29 whose connecting wire I3I in this case would correspond to the line marked 25 on Fig. 1. In a similar manner, if the RF button I001) were depressed, the associated rack bar I I4 would travel outwardly two units so as to engage contact 54 of Fig. 1 which would be one of the contacts I29 previously described. In this case, the connecting wire would be that indicated at 53 on Fig. 1.

Means is provided for establishing the switch connections I! and 30 of Fig. 1 automatically upon operation of the modified adding machine. To this end, an arm I32 rigidly mounted on shaft I33 (Fig. 3) carries a pair of switch control members I34 and I 35, which are mounted on the arm at I36. The free end of arm I32 is connected by link I31 with a crank arm I38 on a rotatable cam I39 which turns approximately 360 degrees at each cycle of operation of the modified adding machine. Referring to Figs. 3 and 5, a block of insulating material I40 is secured to the bed of the adding machine. In this block are mounted spring material switch blades I4I to I44 inclusive. The blades HI and I42 carry coacting contacts which establish the switch I1 of Fig. l. The blades I43 and I44 carry coacting contacts which establish the switch of Fig. 1. Upon operation of the main control instrument for one cycle, the arm I32 moves from the full line position of Fig. 3 to the dotd'ash position there shown. This causes the switch control member I to first engage against the blade I42 to close switch I1 and shortly thereafter the switch control member I34 engages the blade I43 to close switch 30.

As mentioned above, operation of the modified adding machine may be by hand or by means of a motor. In the latter case, a motor I45 is mounted on the frame of the machine and connected with a. suitable source of current controlled by a make and break switch I46. When the finger bar III of Fig. 2 is depressed, the attached leg IIIa thereof is depressed also, engaging the pin I41 as shown in Fig. 3. Through suitable mechanism, this finally causes lever I48 to rock and the roller I49 carried thereby engages the leg of make and break switch I46 to close the circuit for energizing the motor I45. The parts IIIa, I41, I48 and I49 correspond respectively with the parts I23a, I39, 255 and 251 of Uhlig Patent No. 2,019,439 of this part of the mechanism is there described. The operation will then continue until the cam I39 has made one revolution after which mechanism similar to that set forth in the Uhlig Patent No. 2,019,439 will permit the roller I49 to disengage the switch I46 which will then open and stop the motor. This one-revolution oper ation of an adding machine is well known in the industry.

As mentioned above, one of the objects of the present invention is to make a record of the date, the room number, and the fact that the radio (or television) was turned on or off. These operations might be done separately, but the human element would then enter in. It is an object of the present invention to eliminate this human element by making the record automatically with the turning on or turning off of the service in the individual room. To this end, printing mechanism is set up simultaneously with the pushing of the indicia buttons for selecting the desired room and for indicating that the device is to be turned on or off. Referring particularly to Figs. 2, 4 and 8, a series of vertically disposed type bars I00 through I09 inclusive is set up corresponding to the rows of buttons or indicia formerly described in connection with rows I00 to I09 inclusive. The type ba/r shown in Figs. 4 and 8 will be described as the bar I05, although it will be understood that the same principles apply to each one of the ten type bars. Each type bar is provided with a full set of figure type on the rear face thereof, the lowest number being nearest the top and in the order of the indicia in the various rows of the machine shown in Fig. 2. For instance, the indicia on bar I00 beginning at the top are RN, RF, TN, and TF. On bar I02, the type reading from the top down will be from A to H inclusive and X at the bottom. On type bar I08 the figures will be 1, 2 and 3 or 0, l, 2 and 3, realizing that the 0 in this case would never be printed. On type bar I09, there will be a Vacant pace at the top representing the 0 space, and then twelve type marked from January to and the operation 12 December in abbreviated form, as indicated on the buttons of the machine of Fig. 2. It will be understood that the associated rack bar II4. for row I09 will have the necessary number of shoulders to select between the twelve months. Also the rack bar II4 associated with row I06 of the main instrument will need only three shoulders positioned according to the numerals 1, 2 and 3, with a 0 position where the date runs from the first to the ninth of the month. On all of the other type bars, the type on the bar will run from 0 at the top to 9 at the bottom as I have indicated in Fig. 8. The vertical movement of each type bar such as I05 is controlled by the associated sliding -rack bar I I4. The connection between each rack bar H4 and the corresponding type bar comprises a link I50 and a bell crank lever I5 I. The several bell crank levers swing in vertical planes. For this purpose, they are journaled on a horizontal tie rod I52, which extends transversely between side plates of the recording mechanism at the extreme rear end of the machine. The bell crank I5I is connected to its associated type bar pivotally at the point I53. The type bars are intended to print through an inked ribbon I55, carried between spools I56, on to a paper strip I51 which is carried around a platen I58. The details of the platen and paper movement will be described later. A spring I54 between thetype bar and the bell crank I5I urges the type bar away from printing position. A set of swinging hammers I60, one for each type bar, serve for forcing the type bars against the platen I58 to accomplish the printing operations. These hammers are loosely pivoted upon a transverse shaft I6I. This shaft is journaled in the side plates of the recording mechanism. Rod I64 serves for restoring the hammers I60 after their operation. For this purpose, a pair of cranks I63 are rotatable upon the shaft I6I, at opposite ends of the row of hammers, and restoring rod I64 extends of the levers being aligned with each of the type bars and with a nose I69 carried by the corresponding hammer I60.

The printing hammers I60 are normally held against movement by a set of hammer locks I1I,

each of which engages in a notch I60a in the hammer I60. The hammer locks I1I are pivotally mounted upon a transverse rod I12, as by hooking the notch I1Ia over the rod I12. The rod I12 is carried by a swinging or rectifying frame I13 which is in turn oscillatable by means of a transverse shaft I14. In their advanced positions, the hammer locks I1I are held by engagement in their respective notches I60a. For this purpose a separate spring I16 extends from the lower end of each hammer lock to a lower cross piece I11 of the rectifying frame.

The rear edge of the cross piece I15 of the rectifying frame serves to align the type for printing by entering one of a series of notches I18 provided at the front end of the forwardly extendng arm of the bell crank lever I5I. The rectifymg frame is swung rearwardly immediately prior to a printing operation by the engagement of a crank pin I19 mounted in a crank arm I80 carried by the projecting end of a control shaft I8I which is oscillated at each cycle of the adding machine from the position of Fig. 4 to the position of Fig. 5 and back again. The pin I19 engages in a notch I82 in an arm I83 which is pivoted at I92 on the frame. Early oscillation of arm I83 in a clockwise direction causes pin I93 to move cranks I63, causing rod "it to move away from hammers I60. Further oscillation of arm I80 causes pin I19 to engage arm I94 which is secured to shaft I'I4 whereby to swing the rectifying frame.

Withdrawal of the hammer locks I'll only when characters are to be printed from the corresponding type bar is conveniently accomplished by providing each of the hammer looks with a forwardly projecting stop shoulder IlIb. It follows from this construction that rearward movement of the rectifying frame I'i3, when any one of the bell crank levers I5I is in a normal position illus trated in Fig. l, serves only to swing the lower end of the corresponding hammer lock I'iI rearwardly without Withdrawing the upper end of the hammer look from the notch I60a of the corresponding hammer I60. On the other hand, when any one of the bell crank levers I5I has been raised by the forward movement of the corresponding rack bar I I4, as in Fig. 8, rearward movement of the rectifying frame I13 causes the stop shoulder III!) of the corresponding hammer lock to fulcrum against the forward end of the bell crank lever 55 and swings the upper end of the hammer lock forwardly to release the corresponding hammer I60.

All of the above mechanism for setting the type bars and for printing a record is completely disclosed in the above mentioned Patent No. 1,336,840 to Johantgen, to which reference may be had for a more complete description. That patent also shows a convenient arrangement for printing the significant zeros as illustrated in Fig. of the said patent and I also use that type of mechanism so as to print significant zeros.

Means is provided for properly feeding the paper strip I5"! to the printing mechanism. Such devices are disclosed in the above mentioned Victor Adding Machine Company patents and particularly in Johantgen Patent No. 1,876,056 to which reference may be had for a more complete description. It is sufficient to state here that the unused strip is stored in the roll I85 and is then fed around the platen I58 where the printed record is made, and the printed record may be finally stored on a roll indicated at I85. Suitable mechanism is provided as described in the above mentioned patents for feeding this strip of paper, step-by-step, so that each item s printed on a fresh line. Hand wheels are indicated at I86 for moving the strip manually when desired.

The operation of my improved mechanism should now be clearly understood. If the occupant of a room or other individual station desires the energization of an electrical piece of equipment in his room, such as the radio loudspeaker II connected with suitable broadcast receiving sets as described, he calls the operator located at the central control instrument of Fig. 2. The operator then sets up on the control buttons indicia corresponding to the date, the room number where service is desired, and pushes, for instance, button I00a indicating that the radio is to be turned on. She then pushes the motor switch I II which initiates a one revolution cycle of the modified adding machine. The rack bars H4 then 14 move forward the predetermined amounts as de termined by the buttons which were depressed. The button or buttons in rows I05 and/or I06 controlling the group of rooms usually in the hundreds on a given floor will set up potential circuits through a relay such as 3| in the case of the one-hundred series, or 23 in the case of twohundred series or any other relay for the given series selected. At the same time the buttons in rows I04 and I03 will determine the individual station whose relay is to be eventually energized. It will be noted in the case of the room 212 that the line H connected with the button marked 1 in row I04 is common to all of the relays in the series from In to I9, while line 38 connected with the button marked 2 in row I03 is common to all of the relays for those rooms, the last number of which ends in 2, such as 02, 12, 22, and so forth. There is only one relay, namely, 39, which is common to the tens series and to the series of numbers ending in the figure 2. Thus, the relay 39 representing the number 12 is the only individual station relay set up for energization. By the operation of the modified adding machine, the switch control members I3 and I35 are carried forward closing the switches I? and 30. These require, for the completion of the electrical circuit, the button I00a indicating radio on and its associated contact. Thus, the hundreds relay and the individual station relay previously set up by the rack bars I I4 are now energized and these relays draw their armatures to actuated position. At the same time, the closing of switches I1 and 30 energize relay 32 so as to close its armature and set up a circuit through the energized hundreds relay, for instance, 23, and through the individual station relay, for instance, 39, and through the relay It in the selected room which energizes the radio receiver and broadcasting circuit and locks itself in by the interlock with the armature I 5a as previously described. When the radio is to be turned off, the same process is gone through, except that the button in row I05 which selects the hundreds series relay, selects one of the off relays such as 52 or 55 previously described or another relay of the like sort for hundreds series selected. The other circuits are similar except that in the actuating circuit finally completed the button I00b is involved which turns the radio off. This establishes an actuating circuit when the modified adding machine goes through its cycle which passes through the armature of the radio off relay in the hundreds series, for instance, 52, and through the armature of the individual station relay, for instance, 39, and through the relay I5 in the selected room which is the relay for turning the service off. This relay I5, when actuated, draws its armature I5a to it, thus releasing the armatures of the relay is to return to their normal position cutting off the radio service in the room. Each time that the modified adding machine went through its cycle to turn the radio on or to turn the radio off, all of the necessary data was printed on the paper slip I51 by the same actuation of the modified adding machine which turned the radio service on or off. Thus the system is fool-proof and records as shown in Fig. 9 the date, the room number, and the information as to whether the radio was turned on or off at that time. The hotel, hospital or other institution may then arrange to charge for the service accordin to the record on the strip I51. I can see that my device might be useful for establishing and deenergizing the desired circuits 1. whether or not a record of the same and of the time were made. I provide, however, a means of recording the time so that the system is foolproof. I conceive also that instead ofsetting up the time ordate on the buttons in rows I87, Hi8 and I09, a time recorder might be set in position along the left-hand margin of the paper strip 151 as viewed in Fig. 9 so that the time was always available to be marked on the record if and when a record was made each time a circuit was established or deenergized.

The wiring of a system which otherwise would be undesirably complicated is not too difficult as I have arranged it. As previously pointed out, the lines for energizing and deenergizing the relays in the hundreds series are not complicated. In the case of the invidividual stations, a single wire connects all of the relays, the last digit of which ends in 1, or in 2, or in any other of the prime numbers. Also, a single wire serves for all of the relays for individual stations in the same tens series. I prefer to use multiple conductor cables for wiring large institutions such as hotels or hospitals so that these lines may be carried from floor to floor and the connections readily made as desired. The system is readily tested from a central station so that it is not difficult to maintain. The use of equipment has been minimized so as'to make the system simple to install and eificient in its operation. By means of the various safeguards pointed out, I make it certain that only the desired relays will be energized and all others will either be shorted out or reverse circuits established which are impossible because of the dry disc rectifiers which have been described.

In Fig. 10, I have shown a modified construction or diagram for the equipment located inside of a box or cabinet I6 having the same position in the diagram of Fig. 1 as the box I6 there shown. Referring back to Fig. 1, it will be noted that the energization circuit for the off relay I5 is by way of the armature I421 of relay I4 and lines 56 and 51. I find in actual practice that a small amount of dust may get between the armature Ila and the contact with line 56 preventing operation. The diagram of Fig. shows a way to overcome this. In the modification of Fig. 10, it should be understood that the lines there indicated connect up with the diagram of Fig. 1 as will presently be explained, but that the power source L1, L2 has been modified so that the flow in the diagram of Fig. 10 is through exactly the same circuits as Fig. 1 but in the opposite direction. In the case of Fig. 10, the impulse to turn the radio on in the room comes through line 490 which is analogous to line 49 of Fig. 1. The rest of this circuit is through relay I4, line 480, rectifier 4'10 and line 460 which is analogous to line 46 of Fig. 1. This circuit is unable to energize relay I5 because the line through 560, relay I5 and line 510 is blocked by the rectifier I in line 510 which permits flow only in the direction of the arrow indicated. The impulse for turning the radio service off in Fig. 10 comes through line 510 which is analogous to line 51 of Fig. 1. The rest of this circuit is through relay I5, line 560, rectifier 410 and line 460 which is analogous to line 46 of Fig. 1 as previously mentioned. This is the only possible direction of fiow in this last named circuit because the circuit is impossible from line 560 through line 480, relay I4 and line 490 because the rectifier I in line 490 permits flow in the direction of the arrow only. All other parts in Fig. 10 having the same reference characters as in Fig. I perform the same functions as previously described in connection with Fig. 1. I have thus provided an alternative type of construction wherein either relay I4 or relay I5 may be energized without going through the armature of another relay.

It should be understood that throughout the entire description if nothing has been said to the contrary, every relay is normally biased to its off or unoperated position and is moved to its operated position by energization of its associated relay.

The rectifiers mentioned at various times in the description and shown in the drawings at 41, 40, 410 and so forth, are of the dry disc rectifier type. I have indicated by the arrow at each rectifier, the direction of current flow which is permitted. Flow in the opposite direction cannot occur.

The spring I of Figs. 3 and 5 is for the purpose of insuring that rack bar II4 associated with row I00 remains forward for the full period desired. In connection with television, using TN and TF buttons, this rack bar had a tendency to start back too soon.

What I claim is:

1. In a communication system including a plurality of stations, each station being assigned combined first and second designating indicia, each station having a device to be energized, an on relay for each station operatively connected with its associated device to energize it responsive to instantaneous energization of said relay, an off relay for each station operatively connected with its associated device to de-energize it responsive to instantaneous energization of said relay, a modified adding machine for establishing selected electrical circuits, said machine including a small housing adapted to rest upon a desk, rows of buttons movably supported in said housing, said buttons in a first row carrying said first indicia and in a second row carrying said second indicia, and in a third row carrying device on and 01? indicia, a rack bar operatively connected with each of said rows, each said bar reciprocatingly mounted in said housing, operating means for reciprocating each bar including connections between each button and its associated bar for causing movement of the associated bar from an inoperative position to an operative position responsive to depression of its associated button, plural stop means associated with each rack bar for stopping it at selected predetermined points corresponding to the indicia button operated, normally open switch means for each row at each of said predetermined points and positioned in said housing for engagement by the associated bar, said bar closing said switch means only at the predetermined point where said bar is stopped by said stop means, electrical circuit means operatively connected with said on relay at each station and including switches closed by said rack bars of said first and second rows and including a switch closed by said rack bar of said third row responsive to its associated on indicia button, electrical circuit mean operatively connected with said ofi relay at each station and including switches closed by said rack bars of said first and second rows and including a switch closed by said rack bar of said third row responsive to its associated off indicia button, and means for clearing said modified adding machine including a first operating connection causing electrical energization of said electrical circuit 17 means and a second operating connection causing return of said bars to inoperative position.

2. The combination of claim 1 including time indicia carrying buttons mounted in said machine, movable time rack bars in said housing having means for moving said bars to predetermined selected positions responsive to actuation of said time indicia carrying buttons, movable printing devices in said housing operatively connected with all of said rack bars and movable by movement of said bars to printing positions corresponding to associated bar positions, a recording sheet engageable by said printing devices when the latter are moved to printing position, and means operable by said clearing means for causing movement of said printing devices into and away from printing position.

LOUIS E. PHILIPPS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Puckette Sept. 21, 1926 Antoniono Sept.13, 1932 Schleicher et a1. July 3, 1934 Schott Apr. 8, 1941 Folis Sept. 10, 1946 Mills et a1. M Jan. 7, 1947 Haskins 1 May 27, 1947 Rahmel et a1. Oct. 11, 1949 Rahmel Oct. 11, 1949 OD. Shepherd June 27, 1950 Owens July 4, 1950 Holmes Aug. 1, 19 

